Handle-including carton



' April 19, 1932. w. RiEA'UME ET AL 1,854,955

- I HANDLE INCLUDING CARTON I Filed April 2. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P Ma54 Patented Apr. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAWRENCE W. REAUMEAND EDWARD C. CAN N, OF MONROE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOBS TO RIVER RAISINPAPER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN HANDLE-INCLUDING CARTONApplication filed April 2,

The general purposes of this invention being indicated by the abovetitle, it'may be understood that said invention aims particularly toprovide rugged cartons which can be knocked down for shipment but whichinclude handles; and the preferred construction of said cartons is suchthat, after they reach the hands of the consumer, with bottled goods orthe like therein, although said cartons retain their rectangular form,the handle elements (herein integral with side elementsof the cartons)may be disposed in an upright central position, rendering the sameconveniently accessible for use.

It is an incidental object of the present invention to provide blankswhich are suitable not only to be folded for convenient shipment in flatpackages, but which are easily transformed, by the recipient, intocomplete units,-ready for the reception of bottles; and, in someembodiments of the invention, a joint between a side element and an endelement being closed by the application of a suitable adhesive strip, orthe like, before the mentioned blanks are packaged for shipment, therespective blanks may require only to be expanded and provided withclosure strips across the bottoms thereof in order to be ready for thereception of goods.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide inexpensivebut comparatively rugged and durable cartons in which a mainpartitioning element, if included, is integral with one of a pair ofhalf-bottom sections; and in preferred embodiments, said partitioningelement being provided with suitable slots, so that slotted or othersubsidiary partitioning elements may be retained thereby in spacedrelationship within the completed carton.

In all forms of the present invention, the mentioned handle elements maybe secured to side elements by half-top elements; and the preferredconstruction is such that, in case the end elements of the box areprovided with integral quarter-top sections, the interconnection ofoppositely extending pairs of the latter, as by means of adhesivestrips, serves not only completely to enclose the contents of the cartonbut to reinforce the con- 1930. Serial No. 440,902.

nection'between the mentioned side elements and the mentioned handleelements,-while nevertheless permitting said handle elements to beflattened down, and optionally held down by adhesive strips, duringshipment.

Other objects of the'present invention, including a preferre'dsequenceof steps in the completion of cartons from suitable blanks, may be bestappreciated from the following description of an illustrative embodimentof the invention taken in connection with the appended claims and theaccompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a main blank and subsidiary partitioningblanks,these latter being so positioned as to indicate how they may beeconomically cut from a suitable plural-ply paper or other cartonmaterial.

Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, a top plan view and an elevational Viewshowing an intermediate stage in the production of a box from blankssuch as are illustrated in'Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, views corresponding to Fig. 3 butshowing the results of additional steps.

Fig. 6 is a section, taken substantially as indicated by the line 66 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a section taken substantially as indicated by the line 7-7 ofFig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing) a carton as completed, filled andclosed, ut with handle extensions disposed favorably tocarrying thesame.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the handle extensions asfolded and secured down suitably for shipment.

Fig. 10 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 1 but showing, by dottedlines, a preferred manner of foldin and securing the abutting edges'ofblanks %or shipment in fiat packa es.

Referring now to details of the illustrated embodiment of the invention,with reference to the blanks shown in Fig. 1, side elements 11 and 11'are shown 'as respectively integral not only with half-top elements 12,12', respectively carrying handle extensions 13. 13', but withhalf-bottom elements 14, 14' and end elements 15, '15, also integralwith the side elements 11, 11', are shown as including not onlyquarter-top tabs or elements 16a, 16b, and 16a, 16?), but additionalhalf-bottom elements 17 17'. The illustrated carton being designed tocarry six bottles, a main partitioning element 18, shown as single andas integral with the half-bottom element 14, may be provided with twoslots 19, 19', adapted to receive subsidiary partitioning elements 20,20',the latter being set in'position after the carton is given arectangular form by suitably folding the main blank along the variousdot-and-dash lines 21.

In case a number of blanks are to be packaged for transport to a user,the folding of the same may be carried, by the manufac- .turer, only tothe point indicated in Fig. 10,

as hereinafter described; but the complete process of formin a cartonfrom a blank will nevertheless best understood by a description of thesuccessive steps indicated in Figs. 2-8, inclusive. That is to say,comparing Figs. 2 and 3 with Fig. 1, it will be seen that the endelement 15 and the half bottom element 14 may be folded at right anglesto the side element 11,the main partitioning element or elements 18being then folded at right angles to the half-bottom element 14 and intoparallelismwith the side element 11; and the end element 15' and sideelement 11' may be disposed parallel with the end element 15. At thispoint, if desired, the subsidiary partitioning elements 20, 20, shown asprovided with slots 22, 22', may be interfitted within the slots 19, 19;and the side element 11 may be swung into parallelism with the side'element 11,the result being the completion of a rectangular body asindicated in Figs. 4 and 6, including a pair of side elements spacedapart by end elements and having handle elements formed integraltherewith.

To hold the mentioned parts in their indicated relationships, theabutting edges of the elements 15 and 11, if not previously securedtogether, may be at this time united, as by means of an adhesive strip23; the halfbottom element 14' may be brought into the same plane withthe half-bottom element 14; and the additional half-bottom elements 17,17, if provided, may be swung toward one another and secured in a commonplane wherein they effectively reinforce the entireconstruction,providing a double bottom for the carton. lVhether or notan adhesive strip is applied, as at 24, over the joint between the innerhalf-bottom elements 14, 14, the abutting edges of the outer half-bottomsections, 17, 17 should be permanently secured together,-as by means ofan adhesive strip 25.

The carbon is now ready for the reception of bottles, or the like. Uponthe insertion thereof between the mentioned partitioning elements, thehalf-top sections 12, 12, may

' be folded down into a common plane in such a manner as to leave thehandle elements 13, 13' projecting upwardly therebetween, mto aconveniently accessible position; and these partitions may be retainedin their position indicated in Fig. 7 by simply folding and securingthereon the mentioned quarter-top sections. That is to say as best'shownin Figs. 5, 7 and 8, leaving the handle elements 13, 13 in an uprightposition the quarter-top elements 16a and 166' may have their abuttingedges secured together by means such as by an adhesive strip 26, thecorresponding edges of quarter-top sections 166 and 16a being similarlysecured, as by a strip 26'.

It will be seen that no part of the weight of this carton and itscontents is not carried by the partitioning element 18 (unless thelatter is continued upward in a manner not shown), said weight beingcarried rather by the side and end elements described. The tabs orquarter-top sections will be seen to reinforce the edges 27, 27 in sucha manner that but slight tension, if any, is put upon the strips 26, 26;and although the handle elements 13, 13 are integral with the'sideelements 11, 11', being connected therewith by the half-top elements 12,12' (so that the carton might still be safely carried even if the edges27, 27' should give way) a mere ripping of the strips 26, 26, as by theapplication of a pen-knife along the lines 28, enables the carton to beopened,without damage thereto and in such manner as to permit 0 itsrepeated re-use.

It will be obvious that, depending upon the commodities to betransported, the mentioned partitioning elements may or may not beincluded; and that,.in case they are included, the subsidiarypartitioning elements 20, 20 need not be placed in position until apjzfickage of the cartons reaches the user there- 0 It is suggested inFig. 10 that, to package a number of blanks of the described type, themain partitioning element 14 being first folded upwardly over thehalf-bottom element 14, the end element 15, and the side element 11,together with the associated parts projecting therefrom, be foldedinward into parallelism with the elements 11 and 15,-the edges 28, 28.being thensecured together, as by means of the adhesive strip 23. Thisconstruction will be seen to permit any desired number of blanks to bestacked and secured together, with the subsidiary partitioning elementsinserted within each folded blank in readiness for withdrawal and use inthe indicated manner,the recipient being required only to expand theblanks to rectangular form, without disturbing the strips 23, thendownwardly to insert any subsidiary partitioning elements in any slots19, 19, if provid'ed, and to fold inwardly and secure the mentionedhalf-bottom elements, in readiness for the insertion of bottles or othergoods to be transported.

In case the filled cartons are to be shipped or compactly stored assuch, as suggested in Fig. 9, the handle extension elements 13, 13 maybe folded outwardly o'ver the quarter-top sections (whether or not thelatter are secured together, as by means of the strips 26, 26) and heldin the parallel relationship in which they are shown in the figure lastreferred to by means such as additional adhesive strips 29, 29. It willbe obvious that the recipient of goods packed in the described mannerneed only cut or remove the strips last referred to in order to renderthe handles provided by the elements 13, 13' available for immediateuse; and that, upon arrival at his destination, said recipient may thenobtain access to the goods, without detriment to the carton, by merelyslitting the strips 26, 26, in the manner above referred to.

Although the foregoing description has included details or but oneembodiment of the present invention it should be understood that notonly various features thereof may be independently employed but alsothat numerous modifications, additional vto any suggested herein, mighteasily be devised by skilled workers, if informed of the foregoing,allwithout departure from the sc pe of the present invention as the latteris indicated above and in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a carton: a rectangular body including a pair of side elementsspaced by a pair of end elements; half-bottom elements integral with oneof said pairs of elements; and a partition element integral with one ofsaid half-bottom elements,the other of said pairs of elements beingprovided with additional half-bottom elements adapted to be so securedas to retain the first mentioned half-bottom elements and said partitionelement.

2. In a rectangular body including a pair of side elements spaced by apair of end elements; half-bottom elements integral with one of saidpairs of elements; and a partition element integral with one of saidhalf-bottom elemcnts,the other of said pairs of elements beingprovidedwith additional half-bottom 55 of end elements, each of the endelements havside elements to the end elements, a pair of inwardlyextending bottom flaps integral with the end elements for supporting thebottom of the carton, and a plurality of separated members each having acentrally disposed slot therein co-acting with thevslotted partitionmember.

5. A carton comprising a pair of side elements spaced by a pair of endelements, a pair of half bottom elements integral with the sideelements, at least one of said half bottom elements having an internalcentral partition element integral therewith, separator elementsdisposed within the carton and extending at right angles to saidpartition element, a pair of half top elements each terminatingcentrally of said carton in a vertically disposed carrying handle, aplurality of flap portions integral with the end por tions, said flapportions co-acting with said top and bottom elements for reinforcingsaid top and bottom elements.

6. A carton comprising a pair of side'elements spaced by a pair of endelements, a pair of half bottom elements integral with the sideelements, at least one of said bottom elements having an internalcentral partition element integral therewith, slotted separator elementsdisposed within the carton and extending between said side elements atright angles thereto, flap portions integral with the end portions, saidflap portions coacting with the bottom elements in supporting the weightof the article to be carried, a pair of half top portions integral withthe side elements, said top ortions terminating centrally of said carton1n vertically disposed carrying handles, a pair of slotted flap portionsintegral with the end elements and extending inwardly from the top edgesthereof, said flap portions overlapping said half top portions andco-acting therewith for assisting and reinforcing the top portion tomaintain said handle portions in normal operative position.

LAWRENCE W. REAUME. EDWARD C. CANN.

